British Airways spent nearly two decades leaning on the old Club World seat long after rivals had moved on, so this flight felt like a proper test of whether the replacement finally delivered. On this BA Dubai to London sector, the Club Suites product represented BA’s attempt to close a gap that had become impossible to ignore, especially when flying into and out of one of the world’s most competitive premium hubs. Club Suite promised direct aisle access, real privacy, and a more modern layout without straying into gimmicks. The question was simple: had British Airways done enough, or was this still a case of catching up rather than leading? Read on.
In this review
Flight Details
Flight No: BA108
From/To: Dubai (DXB) to London (LHR)
Departure time: 13:20
Ticket Class: Business (Club World)
Flight time: 7 hours 30 mins
Frequent Flyer Points: 4860
Status Points: 810
Aircraft: G-VIIS
Aircraft type: Boeing 777-232
Number of classes: 4
Number of seats in flying class: 49
Seat: 10K
Position: right hand side of the aircraft, 10 rows from the front
Airport Experience
Check-in started smoothly at Dubai Airport and two BA desks were open for passengers flying Club Suites. There here was no queue at all, so check-in took moments. Passport control was less slick. Older biometric passports struggled with the smart gates, and it was quicker to use a staffed desk.
Reaching the D concourse involved long queues for the transit train, which felt badly managed given the volume of departures.
The lounge sat on the second floor of the D gates and was around half full on arrival. It looked smart, with decent decor and plenty of staff circulating to keep things tidy. Food came from a hot and cold buffet, backed by a full range of soft drinks, alcohol, and hot options. Quality, however, was firmly below average for a business lounge. The small toilets were stocked with Elemis soap and moisturiser, which felt like a small consolation. Read our old British Airways Dubai Airport Lounge Review.
Boarding & Welcome
Boarding proper began roughly 45 minutes before departure and ran effiiently. BA called boarding for Club Suites as part of Group 1 through gate D2 at Dubai Airport, which was around a ten-minute walk from the lounge.
The welcome onboard felt slightly awkward rather than warm. Orange juice or Heidsieck Monopole Champagne was offered, menus were distributed, and meal orders were taken before pushback for some passengers but not others. The CSM stopped by to greet Gold members. Despite the terminal congestion, the aircraft pushed back right on schedule.
Seat
My seat was 10K, a starboard-side (right) window Club Suite around ten rows back from the nose.
The Club Suite was British Airways’ newest long-haul business class seat, rolled out progressively across the fleet. It marked a clear step forward from the old top-to-tail Club World yin-yang layout, replacing the much-derided “coffin” seats with a fully direct-aisle-access design in a 1-2-1 configuration.
Each seat felt deliberately enclosed, angled and positioned to block sightlines to neighbouring passengers. That sense of separation was reinforced by the sliding privacy door, which added a genuine feeling of seclusion once closed, even in a densely packed cabin.
Seat controls were housed in a touchscreen panel beneath the side storage ledge, giving precise control over the backrest and leg rest. Three physical presets sat alongside it for take-off and landing, lounging, and fully flat bed mode, all of which responded quickly when pressed.
Comfort levels were high both when sitting and sleeping, coming surprisingly close to the old Club World yin-yang seat, one of the few things that product got right. The main drawback appeared when lying flat. Under pressure, the seatback and headrest lifted slightly as weight shifted through the hips, which could become irritating for restless sleepers who change position through the night.
While the three-point seat belt proved to be uncomfortable when sitting upright, this was resolved at cruise when only the lap section of the belt needed to be worn.
Storage around the seat was excellent. Beyond the overhead bins, there were two horizontal compartments along the side ledge, one of them fairly shallow, plus a tall vertical locker with a vanity mirror built into the door. It was easy to keep essentials organised without cluttering the seat area.
Power options were sensibly arranged inside the gadget locker, with two USB charging ports and a 110V mains socket. This space also housed the headphone jack and handheld IFE controller, keeping cables and controls neatly out of the way.
The signs of wear were hard to miss. Hinged panels and sliding components felt stiff or partially jammed, some automated seat functions failed to reset properly, and several seat belts in our party were twisted. For a recently refurbished cabin, the wear showed more than it should have and is perhaps indicative of the aging potential of these new club cabins.
Which is the best seat on BA 777 Club Suites on the Dubai route?
Club Suites seat choice mattered on the BA 777-200 layout. Seats 12A and K and 16A and K only had a single window. Passengers wanting a view beyond wing and engine should target the smaller front cabin, ideally rows 5 to 8, which also benefitted from lower engine noise and vibration.
For those prioritising darkness over views, the middle seats in rows 12 and 13, specifically D and F, were the best option.
See the seating plan on AeroLOPA.
Onboard Experience
The onboard environment on reflected the age of the aircraft. This 25-year-old BA 777 flying us home from Dubai and retrofitted with Club Suites was noticeably loud, with its GE engine and air circulation noise frequently drowning out cabin announcements.
Service was split between the front and rear cabins at row 10, meaning rows 5 and 11 were served first, while rows 10 and 17 waited longest. The crew worked efficiently from the central galley and were friendly throughout, though a few appeared inexperienced.
Only two toilets served the entire business cabin (a 1:25 ratio).
White Company amenity kits were provided, containing face moisturiser, lip balm, pulse point oil, socks, and an eye mask. At-seat service felt inattentive, often reduced to clearing plates rather than checking in.
Food & Drink
Club Suites dining began with BA crew serving drinks and mixed nuts shortly after takeoff from Dubai. Sauvignon Blanc was smooth and well matched to the menu. Meals were served on trays from the galley about ninety minutes into the flight.
The starter was a prawn cocktail with cherry tomatoes and caper berries, featuring three good-sized tiger prawns. The veggie option was vine leaves with some mezze sides, including humous and tabouleh. Off to a good start.
The lamb main was a welcome surprise, properly cooked rather than reformed, though the gravy lacked body. The vegetarian couscous dish was bland, but the crew handled it well, quickly sourcing spinach and ricotta cannelloni from another cabin.
We finished with a chocolate dessert and the cheese plate, which diners of all persuasions agreed was good.
The second service was poor. A painfully dry wrap, or half-cooked cheese panini that disappointed both meat eaters and vegetarians. The couscous side salad was decent, and the warmed chocolate muffin stood out as genuinely tasty.
Overall, the meal was a good show for meat eaters, but weak for anyone wanting to eat veggie. To be clear, this wasn’t a miss because we failed to order a special meal – there was no dietary requirement – but simply that BA wasn’t able to deliver appetising food that didn’t include meat or fish.
Bars were closed and bottles cleared nearly an hour before landing, with the self-serve Club Kitchen snacks disappearing even sooner. And despite menu claims, tea and coffee were never proactively offered.
In-flight Entertainment
The inflight system on this BA Club Suites trip from Dubai to London listed 147 films, though much of the content felt dated. Very little stood out, though the flight map was engaging and easy to follow throughout the journey. The touchscreen hardware was fairly responsive and noise-cancelling headphones went some way to dulling the howl of the enormous GE engines just outside the windows.
Arrival
Arrival at London Heathrow was refreshingly efficient thanks to a bus gate straight to main terminal – avoiding the B/C gates shuttle. Bags arrived promptly in the baggage hall and we were landside, exiting the terminal within 40 minutes of touching down.
BG1 Verdict
On this Dubai route, BA Club Suites delivered privacy and space that finally felt competitive, but the main cabin in an ageing aircraft, inconsistent service, and very weak non-meat catering held it back. The density of business class seating on this aircraft was no doubt a real challenge for the crew and the toilet to passenger ratio caused queues. The seat itself was comfortable, yet the overall package struggled to justify its position against stronger regional rivals.
Read Qatar Airways A350 QSuites London to Doha Review
BG1 Tip
If booking BA Club Suites to Dubai on the 777, aim for the front Club cabin directly behind First. You will get a quieter ride, better window alignment, and faster service than the rear section.
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